Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-01
RAISING THE STANDARD.
The New Medical Practice Law
The Result OF the Old Law---Ten-
Medical College In Good Standing.

AhC We" hCuIGdl AEdGtstt
The Result OF the Old Law---Ten-
Year Men Must Obtain Certificates
Medical College In Good Standing,
When the medical practice act of 1877
went into force, there were engaged in
the practice of medicine in the state of
Illinois, 7,400 persons. of whom 5000
were graduates. and 8 800 non graduates
of medical colleges,
When that law was set aside july [,
1887, by the medical law passed last win
ter, there were 6,1S0 medical practition-
ers, of whom 5,704 were graduates, and
476 non-graduates.
The work of the state board of health
in wedding unqualified practitioners out
of the state, is thus strongly presented .
The new law gives the board much great
er power than did the old law. and there
will not by Jan. 1, 1888, be single med,
icsl practitioner who will not be subject
to the operation of the law The follow
ing provisions includes the ''ten wear
men, Of the law of 1887, and will oblige
them to obtain certificates:
ProUided. That all persons who have
been practicing medicine continuously
for ten years within this state prior to the
taking effect of the act to which this is
an amendment and who have not under
SAID original act obtained q certificate
from the said board of health to practice
medicine in this state. shall. upon proper
application to said board of health, re-
ceive such certificate, unless it shall be
ascertained and determined BY said board
of health that the person so applying for
a certificate is of immoral character. or
guilty of unprofessional or dishonorable
conduct. in which case, said board of
health NAV reject such application;
lind, proCided, that such application for
certificate shall be made within six
months after the taking effect of this act,
and all persons holding certificate on &C
count of ten years practice shall be sub
lect to ell the requirements and disci-
pline of this act, and the act to which
this is an amendment. in regard to theiI
future conduct in the practice of medi
cine the same as all other persons hold
ing certificates; AMI all persons not hav-
ing applied for or received such certificate
within six months after the taking effect
of this act, and all persons whose appli-
cations have for the causes herein named
been rejected or certificates revoked, shall
if they shall practice medicine, be deemed
guilty of practicing in violation of law,
and shall suffer the penalties herein pro.
vided
One of the great works of the state
board has been the raising of the stan
dard of medical education. Medical col
1eges were in the habit, at the time the
board was created, of graduating students
after single course of lectures. The
board gained the power to change this
practice by being made the Judge OF
wien medical school is in good stand
ing. The board from time to time by
resolution defines what it considers good
standing. At meeting last month the
following resolution was adopted, on
motion of DR.. Clark of Elgin, the eclectic
practitioner on the board:
Res0loed, That the phrase medical
colleges in good standing" in the first
section of the Act to Regulate the Prac-
tice of Medicine, approved June l 6, 1887,
is hereby defined to include only those
colleges which shall. after the sessions of
$780, 81, require four years of professional
study, including any time spent with q
preceptor, and three regular courses of
lectures, as conditions of graduation, and
shall otherwise conform to the schedule
OF minimum requirements heretofore
adopted by the board.
This action will throw out of good
standing, as far as Illinois is concerned,
twO~thirds of all the medical schools in
the United States, and graduates from
them, if desirious of practicing medicine
therein, will be obliged to pass exsmina-
tons. This will compel graduates OF
medicine to possess almost twice as much
preliminary education as was formerly
needed to obtain certificate in Illinois
Students of medicine will do well, in
choosing medical school, to go to one
whose diploma will get its possessor a
certificate in Illinois